Addressing a Critical Need in Patient Care

Did you know:

  • Over half of a typical hospital's risk management budget is spent in the Labor and Delivery area.
  • The most frequent allegation in perinatal malpractice claims is delayed diagnosis of fetal distress—which is monitored via EFM.
  • Over half of liability claims against physicians were obstetric-related. In almost half of those cases (46%), EFM was a variable.
  • In 75% of birth-related lawsuits across the country, the award or settlement is over $1 million.

The current medical malpractice crisis clearly shows we need to make progress on ALL fronts - improving care through greater risk awareness, standardizing approach and vocabulary, and creating better team performance.

The APS Perinatal Safety Curriculum is squarely focused on the five recurrent problems in the majority of claims and perinatal injuries:

  1. Failure to recognize and/or appropriately respond to antepartum/intrapartum fetal distress;
  2. Failure to perform a timely cesarean delivery (30 minute rule) when indicated;
  3. Failure to appropriately resuscitate a depressed infant;
  4. Inappropriate use of oxytocin leading to excessive uterine activity, uterine rupture, and fetal distress and/or death; and
  5. Inappropriate use of forceps/vacuum leading to fetal trauma and/or preventable shoulder dystocia.